Then Big 12 play got started and Texas dropped road games at Texas Tech and TCU.

But as the former VCU coach makes his inaugural trip to Allen Fieldhouse for Saturday’s game against No. 3 Kansas (1 p.m. tip-off, ESPN), Smart finally might have his team rolling in the right direction. Texas has won 3 in a row in the brutal Big 12, defeating Iowa State (in overtime), Oklahoma State and, most impressively, West Virginia on the road.

To give you an idea of the kind of guard play the Longhorns have enjoyed of late, Texas had more steals (5) than WVU (3) on the road earlier this week, when the ’Horns defeated the No. 6-ranked Mountaineers. UT only committed 5 turnovers against ISU and had 8 against both OSU and WVU, winning the turnover margin in all 3 victories.

A third of the way through the Big 12 schedule, Texas (12-6 overall, 4-2 Big 12) leads the league in scoring defense (67.7 points allowed), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (opponents have shot 28.3%) and turnover margin (+2.33 a game).

As KU (15-3, 4-2) looks to recover from another road loss, here are the Longhorns who the Jayhawks will have to keep in check.

TEXAS STARTERS

No. 1 — PG Isaiah Taylor | 6-3, jr.

Texas guard Isaiah Taylor (1) drives to the basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against West Virginia, Wednesday, Jan, 20, 2016, in Morgantown, W.Va. Texas defeated West Virginia 56-49. (AP Photo/Raymond Thompson)

Averaging 16.4 points and shooting 45.2% on the season, junior Isaiah Taylor’s game has improved since conference play began. Taylor averages 19.2 points in Big 12 games, a stretch in which he has made 45.8% of his 3-pointers.

Nine of Taylor’s 15 steals this season have come in Big 12 action.

Went coast to coast for a running, game-winner in UT’s December win at Stanford.

The reigning Big 12 Player of the Week averaged 23.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the Longhorns’ wins over Iowa State and OSU.

Scored a career-high 35 points, with 6 assists and 1 turnover at Texas Tech in a loss.

Third season as UT’s starting point guard and has started all 77 games of his career.

No. 21 — F Connor Lammert | 6-10, sr.

Texas big man Connor Lammert (6.2 points, 7.0 rebounds in Big 12) enjoys stepping outside to take jumpers and 3-pointers. But Lammert has only made 8 of 30 (26.7%) from behind the arc in conference games, and is shooting 29.3% from the floor overall 6 games in.

In the 7 games Texas has played without injured big man Cameron Ridley, Lammert leads the team in rebounding (7.1 a game).

More of a role player who doesn’t get starter’s minutes (10.8 a game in Big 12), junior Kendal Yancy averages 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in conference play.

So far, his shot selection against league opponents has proven wise: 9 of 16 from the floor (56.3%), 3 of 7 from 3-point range (42.9%), and Yancy has only committed 2 turnovers in 6 Big 12 games.

Tied his season high with 7 points at WVU, going 3 for 3 from the field.

Yancy has only attempted 13 shots from 3-point range this season, hitting 5. He’s had less success at the free-throw line: 6 of 17 (35.3%).

No. 44 — C Prince Ibeh | 6-11, sr.

Dejounte Murray of the Washington Huskies tries to throw past Prince Ibeh of the Texas Longhorns during a match at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The University of Texas and University of Washington played the first-ever regular-season college men's basketball game in China at Shanghai's Mercedes Benz Arena, organized by the Pac-12 conference in partnership with Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

No. 0 — G/F Tevin Mack | 6-6, fr.

Freshman Tevin Mack hasn’t started a game for UT, but he comes off the bench ready to fire. Mack (6.2 points) just hasn’t shot the ball that well on the season, though. He’s shooting 29.6% from the field, and his 3-point tries — 22 of 72 (30.6%) — aren’t helping his numbers.

Ranked No. 48 in the Class of 2015 by ESPN, Mack delivered his biggest game to date in burnt orange when he scored 14 points and made 3 of his 8 3-point attempts, with 2 assists and 0 turnovers as Texas defeated Iowa State.

No. 12 — G Kerwin Roach Jr. | 6-4, fr.

A freakishly good athlete who is more of a defensive pest than anything else at this stage of his career, freshman Kerwin Roach Jr. averages 3.8 points in Big 12 games. Still, Roach is capable of dunking on almost anyone’s head (see above clip).

Ranked the No. 34 prospect in his prep class by Rivals.com, Roach averages 5.6 points on the year.

Comments

Better athletes in the guards and Prince Ibeh may very well create havoc. Frank and DeVonte with floaters if they can drive at all. Perry with the spin move and along with Carlton in the mid range could be key.

Taylor and Felix should be able to get open looks all night so an answer from Greene would be nice. Hope we have a rim presence in Cheick and Hunter as insurance from our matadors.

Cram it inside and get some fouls. If we shoot 50 FT's we can surely make 25. 15 three pointers is 45 + 25 and 70 would be pretty good for us. Don't you think. Lol.

Smart was smart...the way he played W Virginia. Attack the press, when you slow down on offense you play into their hands aka KU. Also, press W Virginia when they have the ball, it takes away from their energy and they are not a good offensive team. Good coaching job, I hope we watched the tapes. SS is a great coach.